Mora says Seahawks should play dirty if refs allow it

Seattle Seahawks coach Jim Mora isn’t happy about the elbow applied to the throat of his quarterback by Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Darnell Dockett on Sunday, but he says he’ll advocate his own players using the same dirty tactics if the NFL doesn’t step in.

The 6-foot-4, 285-pound Dockett placed his full weight on Matt Hasselbeck’s windpipe as he pushed himself up off the ground following a tackle in the second quarter of Sunday’s 31-10 Arizona victory, leaving the quarterback grasping his throat and gasping for air as he left the field following the third-down play.

Mora said he didn’t see the situation until Monday’s film session, but left little doubt as to his unhappiness. He said that was one of 17 questionable plays he filed to the NFL official’s office for review, the most he’s ever sent in his coaching career.

And he sent a clear message through the media at his Monday press conference as well, saying he’d like to see opposing quarterbacks treated the same way by his defenders if the NFL isn’t going to call those penalties.

“I would never advocate us doing anything illegal, nor would I ever advocate us doing anything that would intentionally harm another player,” Mora said. “But if that is legal and the league is not going to call that, then we should be doing it.

“Because it has an affect on the quarterback when he can’t breathe. When Matt is getting up (gasping) and he can’t breathe, boy, I’d like to see their quarterback doing that, you know?

In reality, not a lot of NFL coaches would openly advance the notion of injuring opposing quarterbacks. But Mora had a point to make. And while he continually said he thinks the play should be illegal, he was miffed enough that it wasn’t called that he was willing to take a stand that surely will draw some response from the NFL office.

Is it possible the referees just missed this particular play?

“I don’t know,” Mora said. “I can’t tell you because I haven’t heard back from them yet. And even when I do, I can’t tell you about it.”

Mora said its against NFL rules to reveal the response to officiating challenges, but he did make it clear he was displeased with the way Sunday’s game was called.

He said the 17 plays he challenged are about three times more than he’s ever questioned before. He specifically mentioned the Dockett incident as well as a pass interference call on Marcus Trufant and an aggressive play by Arizona wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald that drew a pass interference on fellow corner Josh Wilson.

“The one where Fitzgerald grabbed him by the facemask and pulled his head down?” Mora said. “Yeah, I questioned that one. We’ll see what they say.”